Creating Custom Calendar

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SEP sesam provides flexible scheduling features that can be used for any number of events, at the same time allowing a particular task (backup, restore, migration, etc.) to have events linked to several schedules. From v. 4.4.3 onwards, scheduling is enhanced with User defined option that allows you to create a calendar which is customized according to your country or company specific requirements.

You can create as many custom calendars as you need. A custom calendar can be defined for a limited period of time, e.g., for one year if it is based on holidays that do not occur on the same dates each year, for several years if the dates are not subject to change, or for unlimited time.

Set up a custom calendar

To create a custom calendar with dates on which you want to run additional jobs or prevent scheduled jobs from running, proceed as follows:

The Execution is enabled by default. Leave it enabled. If you deselect the execution option, all events that are linked to this schedule will be deactivated.

Specify the start time for the schedule in the Start field. By default, the current date is already entered. In the next field, specify the start time, e.g., 18.30. The schedule will be activated after the specified date and time. If you want your schedule to be valid only for a limited period of time, use the Expiration date option.

In the table providing selection of different time parameters tabs (once, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, user defined), click user defined tab and then click Create button next to the Calendar name field. New calendar dialog is displayed.

In the Name field, enter the name for your custom calendar and click Ok. A calendar opens displaying the current year. You can either add calendar events by single-clicking on the days you want to include in your calendar or by double-clicking the desired date to open the Calendar event dialog. In the Calendar event dialog you can expand the date range to several days and choose the start and end time of the event. Optionally, you can write a date description in the Event field. Click OK to add the calendar event to the calendar.

After adding all calendar events needed for the calendar, close your custom calendar by clicking Close. You can check your calendars by clicking List all calendars button in the schedules dialog.

Under Advanced settings you can further refine your schedule.

To define the maximum allowed startup time (the amount of time an event can be in the queue), specify the startup time in days and/or hours in the Start time frame field. The actual event startup depends on the processor load of the system. At the starting time of the event, every event is forwarded into the queue, where it might wait until jobs with a higher priority are finished. For jobs with the same priority, the FIFO rule (first in first out) applies. If the event cannot be executed within this specified time frame, it will not be executed at all.

You can also specify the time frame for the event to be repeated. Enable the Repeat task check box and then specify the repetition cycle to repeat the event every n hours or minutes. Use the For a duration of field to specify the duration of the repeated event in days and/or hours.

To specify the time frame after which the scheduled event will be cancelled, enable the check box in front of Stop task if runs longer than option and set the amount of time (days and/or hours) after the event's scheduled start time at which the event will be cancelled.

Select Expiration date check box if you want your schedule to be valid only for a limited period of time, e.g., until the end of the year. Then specify the date of schedule suspension. The schedule will be deleted after the Expiration date criterium is met. By default, this option is disabled and the schedule will be repeated in perpetuity.

Click OK to save the schedule.

You can view currently configured schedules and events under Scheduling in the Main selection pane. Depending on the purpose of creating an event for a custom calendar, select one of the following procedures:

Create event for running additional jobs on specified dates

You have to create the event(s) you want to run on the dates set by your newly created schedule:

Select the schedule and right-click it. Then select the event type you want to add, for example backup, and click New backup event.

Under Sequence control, set up the Priority of your event. SEPuler always executes the schedules with the highest priority first. The default priority level is 1, which is the lowest priority (the highest priority is 99). The only exception are schedules with priority 0, which override all other priorities and are always executed. For details, see event priorities.

Under Object, select the task to which you want to link this event. Then click OK to save the event.

You have to create the event(s) you want prohibit to run on the dates set by your newly created schedule:

Select the schedule and right-click it. Then select the event type you want to add, for example backup, and click New backup event.

Under Sequence control, set up the Priority of your exclude event. SEPuler always executes the schedules with the highest priority first. The default priority level is 1, which is the lowest priority (the highest priority is 99). The only exception are schedules with priority 0, which override all other priorities and are always executed. For details, see event priorities. Then select the Blocking date check box. Make sure that this option is used together with a high priority that prevail over the priority of the event you want to block.

Note

A Blocking date option is used to prevent the activation of certain events on specific days (e.g., end of year, holidays) or to prevent the execution of other jobs related to the same object only within the specified hours. For details on the latter, see Special Schedules.

Under Object, select the task or task group to which you want to link this event. Then click OK to save the event.